I'm a Christian, married to my wonderful husband, Adrian, since 1978 (where has the time gone?). We have two children, Michael and Elizabeth who are just the best children we could have wished for, we're so blessed, and proud of them. Michael and Aisling,our daughter in law, have a daughter Bronwyne Ann. Elizabeth is married to Martyn. I use my crafting to raise funds for various charities. The charity that I'm currently sponsoring is Save The Children

Thursday, 14 January 2016

Towards the end of 2015 a friend asked me to make a card/picture for a priest who was celebrating his 50th anniversary of induction to the priesthood. I combined the card or picture by making an A4 size card, approx US letter size.

The cross-stitch pattern was from www.ursulamichael.com and was really nice to stitch. I used Anchor threads and 14ct Aida fabric. The A4 card was single fold without an aperture so I put an A4 size sheet of paper over the top of the finished stitching and, using my fingers, pressed it around the outside edge. This gave me a sort of template by drawing about 3mm around the outside of the creases. I cut out the paper from the middle and then placed the A4 sheet over the stitching so that I could see if I needed to make any adjustment. When I was satisfied with it I turned it over and placed it on the inside of the front of the card and drew around the aperture. I then cut it out from the card. I used a strong dsst to attach the fabric to the inside of the card. To conceal the back of the fabric I stuck another A4 card to the back of it . I must say that I was pretty pleased with the way it fitted around the design. To finish it off I used peeloff borders around the aperture.

Wednesday, 6 January 2016

.......I have decided that 2016 will see the end of the current WIPs or UFOs!

I was always a one project (excluding making cards) person apart from putting something to one side while I fulfilled an order. But the last quarter of 2014 and the whole of 2015 saw me starting so many projects and not finishing them (I even bought Christmas cards for the first time in many years). On top of that I have masses of fabrics, for patchwork, a Twelve Days of Christmas wall hanging and tons of yarn waiting to be knitted or crocheted.

I also have one project that I started way before 2014 and yet to finish it. It's a Dimensions Gold cross-stitch kit called The Guardians which is two wolves hiding in trees all in autumnal colours. My reason for not carrying on with this is that nobody else liked it :(

I am still going to allow myself some new projects to keep my interest but only in between finishing WIPs So I will be crafting in my craft room during the day making cards and creating scrapbook layouts and at some point will get my sewing machine out for all my fabric projects and then in the evening knitting or crocheting. I really want to put up a list of things to do but I know that will only send me into a decline when I can see the enormity of the tasks ahead.

Each time I finish one I will post them one here stating which number WIP it is. Hopefully I'll be able to incorporate them in some challenges